Folding high chair



Sept. 16, 1958 iv. ROSS! FOLDING HIGH CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April5, 1956 1720671257 Jase 0h Z/Rasisz' Sept. 16, 1958 J. v. ROSS! FOLDINGHIGH CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1956 flu/2 47% kfosepfiU'ROJSZ' 29M gW J Sept. 16, 1958 J. v. ROSSI FOLDING HIGH CHAIRS-Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 5, 1956 Hm, i9

United States Patent FOLDING HIGH CHAIR Joseph V. Rossi, Chicago, Ill.,assigiior to Comfort Lines, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application April 5, 1956, Serial No. 576,320

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-127) The present invention relates generally tochairs and is more particularly directed to an improved form ofcollapsible high chairs.

In a folding chair, particularly a collapsible high chair which includesa tray and a footrest, it is important to provide a structure which willfold into the most compact unit possible. It is also desirable in afolding high chair to provide a relatively wide base which will precludethe possibility of accidental tipping of the chair, and to also includemeans which will prevent accidental folding of the chair when in use.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedform of folding high chair which is positively locked against foldingmovement in its operative, erect position and which may be folded into acompact unit. A further object of the invention is to provide a foldinghigh chair with a positive latching mechanism for maintaining the chairin its operative position wherein the latching mechanism requires manualoperation in order to condition the chair for folding into a compactunit. Other objects and advantages will become apparent as thedisclosure progresses with reference to the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. l is a perspective rear view of the selected embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the chair of Fig. 1 in anintermediate stage of folding;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the chair in its completely foldedposition;

Fig. 4 is a view of the folded chair taken along the line 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken along the line 55 in Fig.1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 66 in Fig. 5, withparts broken away and in section in order to more clearly illustratecertain details of construction;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view, taken genererally along the line7--7 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 1010 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8, with the tray shown in itspartially released position;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the structure in Fig. 11,illustrating a portion of the latch mechanism which is seen at the leftin Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a view of the latch mechanism of Fig. 12, shown in positionon the tray-supporting arm of the high chair.

The provision of a folding high chair which has a sufiiciently largebase to avoid accidental tipping and yet is capable of being folded intoa compact unit presents a real problem. Furthermore, even though a widebase is provided through the use of legs which have their lower portionswidely spaced apart, there still exists the possibility that an activechild can effect suflicient relative movement between the folding legmembers to collapse or partially collapse the chair. It is desirable,therefore, to also provide means for positively locking the chair in itserect position. The present invention generally provides these featuresthrough the use of a novel folding arrangement for the relativelymovable portions of the chair, and by providing a positive lockingmechanism which coacts with at least two of such relatively movableelements to releasably fix the chair in its seat-forming position.

With reference particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, theembodiment selected to illustrate this invention is a collapsible highchair 20 having a pair of front legs 22, a pair of rear legs 24, a seatbottom 26, a seat back 28, and a tray which is carried by a pair of traysupporting arms 32. The two front legs 22, which are preferably oftubular steel or the like, are formed as an integral unit with a crossbrace 34 disposed therebetween adjacent the lower end portion of thelegs. The rear legs 24 are preferably made from a tubular steel member,which is bent into a generally U-shaped form so as to provide a fixedrelationship between the two rearwardly, extending legs. The front legs22 are pivotally connected at an intermediate section thereof with anintermediate section of the rear legs, as by the pins 36. The seatbottom 26 is supported in position adjacent the upper. ends of the fourchair legs thus provided by means including a pair of connecting linksor braces 38 and a pair of vertically extending plate members or arms40. The braces 38 are in the form of bell cranks, each of which arepivotally connected at one end, by pins. 41, to the upper end of one ofthe rear legs 24, and these braces also extend upwardly to a pivotalconnection with the seat bottom, such as is provided by the pins 42. Thevertically extending plate members 40 are fixed to a rearward portion ofthe seat bottom 26 and the upper ends of the front legs 22 are pivotallyconnected to a lower portion of these plate members, as by the pins 44.In the illustrated embodiment, the seat bottom 26 comprises a paddedseat member 46 and a generally U-shaped tubular frame member 48 which isdetachably secured in underlying position to the forward and side edgesof the seat member 46. A seat strap 50 is attached to the seat bottomand is positionable to hold a child in the chair.

The brace members 38 which are disposed adjacent the forward section ofthe seat bottom 26 have their intermediate crank portion pivotallyconnected, by pins 42, to the tubular frame member 48 of the seat at aposition forwardly therealong. Thus it is seen that relative movement ofthe seat bottom 26 and the rear supporting legs 24 is provided about theaxis of the pins 41 on the upper end of the rear legs, as well as aboutthe axis of the pins 42 which connect the seat frame member 48 and thebraces 38.

The seat frame member 48 preferably extends rearwardly of the paddedseat along opposite sides thereof, and the pair of plate members 40 arefixed to this extended portion in a position extending above and belowthe seat. As indicated, the lower end of each of these plate members 40includes a pivotal connection 44 with the upper end of the associatedfront supporting leg 22. The upper end of each plate member is pivotallyconnected, as by pins 52, with a tubular frame member 54 {comprising aportion of the seat back 28 and which is attached to the rearward sideedges thereof. Thus it is seen that the plate members 40 afford pivotalmovement of the seat back 28 and of the front supporting legs 22relative to the seat bottom 26 about thepair ofaxes defined by pins 44and 52, respectively, which are spaced from the plane of the seat bottom26.

The tray supporting arms 32 are preferably a U-shaped member of tubularsteel or the like, which is pivotally connected adjacent the bight ofthe U to an intermediate portion of the frame members 54 on the back ofthe chair by means of pins 56. Of course, sufficient clearance isprovided between the back of the chair and the rearwardly disposed,transverse portion 58 of the tray supporting member to afford thenecessary clearance for the relative movement which is provided betweenthe chair back and the tray supporting arms 32.

The tray supporting arms 32 extend forwardly in generally overlyingrelation to the opposite side edges of the seat bottom 26, and a forwardend portion of each arm is pivotally connected, by a pin 60 (Fig. 8) orthe like, to the upwardly extending end of the crank arm forming theassociated brace member 38. The forward end portions of the traysupporting arms 32 also include a pair of latch mechanisms 62 and 64which afford releasable attachment of the tray to the arms in a mannerto be described later. The high chair 20 is also provided with afootrest 66 which comprises a generally fiat, rectangular member of woodor the like and which is supported in depending forwardly-extendingrelation to the seat bottom 26, as by means of a pair of brace members68.

With the described arrangement, it will be seen that relative movementis provided between the front and rear legs about the axis of the pivotpins 36, and that such relative movement effects movement of the seatbottom 26 about the axis of the pivot pins 44 at the upper end of thefront supporting legs. Due to the position of the brace members 38 andtheir relationship to the rear supporting legs 24-, the seat 26, and tothe tray supporting arms 32, the folding movement of the seat isaccompanied by a folding of the chair back 28 and the tray supportingarms 32, in the manner illustrated best in Figs. 2 and 3. It is to beparticularly noted that the interconnection of the relatively movableportions of the chair through the brace members 38, and the dispositionof the pivot axes 52 and 4-4 for the chair back and the front supportinglegs, respectively, on the plate members is such that the legs, seat,back and tray of the high chair are all folded together into a minimumamount of space.

As noted in Figs. 1 to 3, there is also provided a seat lock 70 on oneside of the chair adjacent the rearward edge of the seat member 46.Generally, as seen in Fig. 7, this lock comprises generally aretractable pin which is mounted on one of the plate members 40 inposition for insertion through an opening in the lower end of the framemember 54 on the chair back. More particularly, the lock mechanism 70includes a tubular guide means 72, which is welded or otherwise fixed onthe plate member 40 in concentric relation to an opening 74therethrough, and a detent in the form of a plunger rod 76 which ismovable relative to the guide member 72 and through the opening 74 inthe plate member. A discshaped button 73 or the like is fixed to one endof the detent 76. A coil spring 80 is disposed around a reduced endportion of the detent extending within the tubular guide member '72, inorder to bias the enlarged free end of the detent in outwardly extendingrelation to the plate member 4-0 in the path of the chair-back framemember 54. The lower end of the frame member 54 on the chair back 28includes an opening 82 therethrough in position for alignment with thedetent 76 when the chair back is erect and the chair is in its unfolded,seat-forming position. It is preferable that the detent or plunger rod76 be positively actuated for both the locking or unlocking of the framemember, in order to thereby prevent accidental collapsing of the chairand to assure proper and complete unfolding of the chair to itsseat-forming position.

The adjustable latch mechanisms 62 and 64 which are provided forreleasably attaching the tray 30 on the supporting arms 32 isparticularly illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 8-13. As seen in thesefigures, the latch 64 at the left is intended to provide universalmovement of the tray 30 relative to the associated supporting arm 32,while the latch 62 at the opposite side of the tray is intended toreleasably hold the tray in position and is operable to partiallyrelease the tray so that the tray may be swung out of position withrespect to the seat bottom 26.

The portion of each latch mechanism which is attached to thetray-supporting arm 32 is the same in both cases and, therefore, adescription of one is believed to be sufficient. This fixed portion ofthe latch comprises an elongated member 84 which is generally L-shapedin cross-section and which is riveted or otherwise secured to the traysupporting arm along the forward side edge portion thereof. A pair ofspaced apart ears or legs 86 are provided along the member 84 inlaterally extending relation thereto. These ears are provided withaligned openings for supporting a rod 88 therebetween.

The latch mechanism 64, at the left in Figs. 5, 8 and 11, is intended toprovide universal, supported movement of the tray 30 relative to thesupporting arms 32 while permitting detachment of the tray from thearms. This mechanism includes a slotted, elongated member 90 which isfixed to the underside of the tray 30 with its slotted portion inelevated relation to the tray. A slide member 92 is adjustably,pivotally secured to the member 90, as by means of a pivot pin 94 whichis fixed to the slide and has its reduced intermediate portion engagingthe slot 96 in the member 90. A spring washer 98 or the like ispositioned between the slide member 92 and the outer end of the pivotpin 94, and a cam lever 100 having a cam portion 101 (Fig. 9) is mountedon the rivet between the spring Washer and the member 92, to therebyprovide for releasable pressing engagement of the spring washer againstthe slide supporting member to selectively hold the slide 92 inposition. The laterally extending portion of the slide 92 also includesa slot 102, and a channel-shaped member 104 is movably secured to theslide by means of a rivet 106 extending through the slot in the latter.The flanges of this channel member 104 include similar L-shapedapertures 108 which are aligned and adapted to engage spaced portionsalong the rod 88 fixed to the tray supporting arm 32. Intermediate theflange portions of the channel-shaped member 104 there is fixed a springclip 110 which is adapted to press against the rod 88 to therebymaintain the latter in position at the closed end of the L-shapedaperture 108.

As seen particularly in Figs. 12 and 13, the tray 30 is initiallypositioned on one of the tray supporting arms by placing the latch 64 sothat the rod 88 on the tray supporting arm 32 is disposed Within theinnermost portion of the L-shaped apertures. This movement is done inopposition to the spring clip 110 and the latter holds thechannel-shaped member 104 in position on the chair. Thus it is seen thatthe tray 30 is free to pivot about the axis of the rod 88 and also aboutthe axis of the pin 106 to thereby provide universal movement of thetray. Consequently, the tray may be held on the supporting arm 32 in aposition transversely of the tray supporting arms, or in a positiondepending along the adjacent side of the chair to provide free axis ofthe chair seat, and that the tray 30 is freely movable intermediatethese positions.

When the tray 30 is moved into its operative position overlying the traysupporting arms 32, it is releasably held in place by means of the latchmechanism 62 at the end of the tray opposite the above-described latch64. The latch 62 includes a slide member 112, generally similar to theslide member 92 described with respect to the previous latch mechanism64 and which is adjustable in a similar manner along the member 90 fixedon the underside of the tray. In this respect, elements which areidentical with parts of the previously described latch 64 will be givenidentical numbers.

A laterally extending portion of the slide member 112 has fixed theretoa generally U-shaped spring clip 114, which is adapted for positioningintermediate the rod 88 and the elongated member 84 fixed to the traysupporting arm 32, as seen particularly in Figs. 8 and 11. With respectto both of the latches 62 and 64, the slide member which is mounted forsliding movement within the slot 96 of member 90 includes a raisedportion 116 (Fig. 10) which is slidably received by the slot 96 tothereby afiord linear motion of the slide relative to the elongatedmember 90.

Consequently, it is seen that the tray is adjustably positionable on thesupporting arms 32 in any selected position relative to the chair back28 afforded by the slotted members 90. It is also seen that the tray maybe removed from its operative position to provide access to the seat 46,without entirely removing the tray from the support afforded by thelatch 64 on the chair.

Although shown and described with respect to a particular embodiment, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modificationsmight readily be made without departing from the principles of thisinvention.

1 claim:

1. A collapsible high chair comprising a pair of supporting front legsand a pair of supporting rear legs, each of said front legs extendingacross one of said rear legs and being pivotally connected thereto at aposition intermediate the ends of said legs, a seat bottom, a pair ofmembers fixed to the rear portion of said seat bottom at opposite sidesthereof and in vertically extending position above and below said seatbottom, means pivotally connecting the upper end portion of said frontlegs to said members at positions below said seat bottom, a seat backhaving its lower portion pivotally connected with said members atpositions above said seat bottom, a pair of brace members pivotallyinterconnected between the upper end portions of said rear legs and aforward portion of said seat bottom and extending upwardly from thelatter, and a pair of tray-supporting arms pivotally connected to saidseat back at intermediate positions along the side thereof and extendingforwardly from said seat back to a pivotal connection with the upper endportion of said brace members.

2. A collapsible high chair comprising a pair of sup porting front legsand a pair of supporting rear legs, each of said front legs extendingacross one of said rear legs and being pivotally connected thereto at aposition intermediate the ends of said legs, a seat bottom, a pair ofmembers fixed to the rear portion of said seat bottom at opposite sidesthereof and in vertically extending position above and below said seatbottom, means pivotally connecting the upper end portion of said frontlegs to said members at positions below said seat bottom, a seat backhaving its lower portion pivotally connected with said members atpositions above said seat bottom, a pair of brace members pivot-allyinterconnected between the upper ends of said rear legs and a forwardportion of said seat bottom and extending upwardly from the latter, apair of tray-supporting arms pivotally connected to said seat back atintermediate positions along the side thereof and extending forwardlyfrom said seat back to a pivotal connection with the upper end portionof said brace members, and a releasable locking mechanism on said chairin position to secure two of the pivotally connected parts of the chairagainst relative movement to thereby maintain the chair in itsseat-forming position.

3. A collapsible high chair comprising a pair of supporting front legsand a pair of supporting rear legs, each of said front legs extendingacross one of said rear legs and being pivotally connected thereto at aposition intermediate the ends of said legs, a seat bottom, meanspivotally connecting the upper end portion of said front legs to a rearportion of said seat bottom, a seat back having its lower portionpivotally connected with a rear portion of said seat bottom, a pair ofbrace members pivotally interconnected between upper end portions ofsaid rear legs and a forward portion of said seat bottom and extendingupwardly from the latter, and a pair of tray-supporting arms pivotallyconnected to said seat back at intermediate positions along the sidethereof and extending forwardly from said seat back to a pivotalconnection with the upper end portion of said brace members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MichalApr. 26,

